1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to surgical applications for the repair of bone fractures and deformities. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for mandibular osteosynthesis.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In various orthopedic surgical procedures, it is necessary to align and secure two bone portions in a relatively fixed relationship to each other. For example, the need for establishing such a secured relationship is often a result of a fracture which has occurred to the bone. To ensure that the bone can regenerate in the proper orientation and fuse the fracture, it is important that the bone portions be fixed in the desired position during bone regeneration.
It is known in the art to provide metal plates for the repair of bone fractures. These plates are generally secured to bone portions with screws. Among other applications, such plates and fasteners are used to provide rigid stabilization of orthopedic and craniofacial fractures. The plates conventionally employed for cranial and facial osteosynthesis generally comprise small, generally flat, elongated sections of metal. The sections contain round and perhaps elongated screw holes at various points along their lengths for fastening the sections to bone.
Because no surface of the human skeleton is completely flat, existing plates must be extensively twisted, formed and bent during surgery to conform to portions of the skeleton on which they are to be affixed. Significant time is expended during surgery for shaping and re-shaping metal plates adequately to conform to desire bone surfaces. This additional time increases anesthesia requirements and operating room time and also increases the potential for infection.
In one commonly used technique for mandibular reconstruction, a flat plate is drawn against the surface of the mandible with a plurality of fasteners, thereby bending the plate to a desired shape. Subsequently, the fasteners and plate are removed to allow surgical access to the mandible (e.g. for removal of a cancerous growth). Finally, the plate is again fastened to the mandible by engaging the fasteners with existing holes in the mandible.
While known systems utilizing plates and fasteners for cranial and facial osteosynthesis have proven to be acceptable for certain applications, such systems are nevertheless susceptible to improvements that may enhance their performance. In this regard, many known systems require time consuming surgical attachment. Additionally, known systems which necessitate the insertion, removal and subsequent reinsertion of fasteners into the bone negatively affect fastener purchase. Furthermore, many known techniques for cranial facial osteosynthesis disadvantageously position a plate immediately adjacent to the bone which is particularly susceptible to resorption.